Regenerative application of stromal vascular fraction cells enhanced fat graft maintenance: clinical assessment in face rejuvenation

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the use of FG-SVFs in face rejuvenation for esthetic improvement.

Methods

33 female patients affected by face’s soft-tissue defects with loss of volume, study group (SG), were treated with FG-SVFs, comparing results with a control group (CG) (n = 30) treated with fat graft not enhanced (FG). Clinical evaluation, a photographic assessment, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US) were performed. Post-operative follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 7, 12, 24, 48, weeks, and then annually.

Results

SG patients showed 61% maintenance of the contour restoring and of volume after 3 years compared with the CG treated with FG, who showed 31% maintenance. 60.7% (n = 20) of SG patients, presented an increase of 6.6 mm in the soft tissue volume after 36 months, which was reported in only 33,3% (n = 10) of the CG. Volumetric persistence in the SG was higher than that in the CG (p <. 0001 vs. CG). MRI and US moreover confirmed the absence of important side effects, as fat necrosis, and cytosteatonecrotic areas.

Conclusions

The use of FG-SVFs was safe and effective in this series of a case treated.

KEYWORDS:

• Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cells
• SVFs
• face rejuvenation fat graft
• Fat graft

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all parties that participated in this study.

Authors’ contributions

P Gentile designed the studies, performed the procedures, analyzed the results, wrote the paper, wrote editing review, dealt with methodology and validation, performed the data analysis and conducted the study as the leader; C Calabrese dealt with methodology and software; D De Fazio dealt with methodology and data curation; B De Angelis dealt with project administration and software; S Garcovich dealt with methodology, software, and visualization; A Sterodimas dealt with project administration and software; A Trivisonno dealt with methodology and visualization; J Pizzicannella dealt with methodology; L Dionisi dealt with rules. All authors made substantial contributions to concept and design of the study, revised the manuscript, and gave their approval to the final version of the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.